Series 1 TI seat fabric

[Kilroy]

Hi,

I am investigating getting a quantity of Series 1 TI seat fabric remade, and I have found a small company that specialise in short runs of custom fabric and already have experience of re-making fabric for classic vehicles. I have sent them a sample of the TI fabric and they have replied:

"We have had a discussion about the fabric today and unfortunately we do not have the loom set up to be able to weave an exact replica of the fabric, the floating threads that create the ‘square’ pattern on the cloth are much thicker than any yarns that we use.

What we can do is create an interpretation of the pattern that the threads create. So we would be recreating the shapes but not the texture, so the fabric would be more of a flat optical illusion. I have a cutting available of something similar to give you an idea, please can you let me know the best address to send this to? As a guide this example is £45.00 per metre (excluding VAT & Delivery) based on a minimum order of 15 metres, it is made from 100% cotton."

I have subsequently received the sample of something similar, and I think that their "flat optical illusion" suggestion will give the impression of the Alfa pattern very well. In many ways I think that it would represent an improvement on the snaggy, original fabric. The wool feels the same as the Alfa fabric and the base colour of the sample is already a very good colour match for an unfaded section of my original trim.

If I go ahead with placing an order, I will be sent a small strip to approve (design and colour) before they make the full batch.

Cutting to the chase (and explaining why this post is in the Classified section!) - I estimate that 5m is enough fabric to re-trim a 'Sud, so I am looking for at least 2 more people who are prepared to order 5m of fabric each (at cost - I am not trying to make any money out of this). I am happy to place the order on the basis of a firm commitment from at least 2 people.

Please get in touch as soon as possible if you are interested - I am very happy to share details of the manufacturer and to send on the fabric samples (or pieces of them).

I am away tomorrow and over the weekend, but I will reply to any PM's or posts on Monday.

Very best wishes,

Ian

[KevJTD]

have a word with Kieth, he had some made up for his S1 ti which is a very good match

[Kegsti66]

Kev,
Ian and I have already chatted about this subject.
My fabric was an end of line find on ebay. I honestly spent months looking through all the fabric / hobby suppliers every week getting samples sent till that one turned up.

[JetJackson]

I'm interested.

What colour have you selected? I have seen various colours depending on the age and fade.

[Kilroy]

Hi Jet,

I was planning to go for the pale blue/grey that always fades to a dirty white - I am open to discussion about where on the blue/greyscale to aim. Given that the fabric is wool, there could be an argument for going light, allowing people to dye it themselves. What would your preference be?

My car unusually has a blue interior and the fabric is slightly different in that the grid pattern is picked out in blue. However the original interior is in very poor condition and I have only managed to find good black door cards and rear trims, so I want to recover my seats with black vinyl and the monochrome blue/grey cloth inserts to match.

Is anyone else out there also interested? Please PM or reply to this thread if you have any interest at all. I am not interested in making any money out of this and I am prepared to make the initial investment - but I do need a firm commitment from enough people to cover the remaining 10m of cloth over the minimum order.

All the best,

Ian

[Kilroy]

Correction to my previous post - the remade fabric would be cotton, not wool. Cotton will still dye though!

[Kegsti66]

http://www.ebay.it/itm/TESSUTO-SEDILI-P ... SwbsBXkQOQ



Blimey Ian, would you believe it, look what I just found?

[JetJackson]

Wow....

That's incredible. But 600 EUR for 2m x 1.4m!

I think that would be pretty tight to for all 4 seat pieces and the head rests?

[JetJackson]

and its sold!

[Kilroy]

Thanks very much for the link kegsti66, that was a great spot and spooky timing!
I did see it before it sold, but I could not justify the cost for something so small and faded and with visible stains and marks.

I also think that the original material is too fragile. My car had only done 30,000 odd miles, and the seats were already worn out. I do not see the point in having the seats recovered and then being afraid to sit on them.

Please keep spreading the word - at the moment JetJackson and dralf1965 have shown some interest - hopefully neither of them bought the Ebay material...

All the best,

Ian

[JetJackson]

Dont worry, it wasn't me. I did think about it for about a second. I also spotted the stain in the ebay image, it also appeared to have a flaw in it.

I mailed the seller asking for more pictures of the condition of the material but he declined....

[Kegsti66]

I do not see the point in having the seats recovered and then being afraid to sit on them.

All the best,

Ian

I have to be honest Ian, I have a seat cover on my new trim.
I only uncover my seat when going to shows as I think what I used would get wrecked if it wasn't treated with kid gloves
No riveted jeans or buckles.......... or young kids.

[Kilroy]

I currently have a very good Series 2 interior (including door cards and rear trims) in my car, and I must confess to having a cover on the driver's seat. Even the Series 2 trim does not wear that well and it seems a bit gratuitous to just wear it out.... .

[York Sud]

Ian

Struggling to return the PM but will keep trying...

[Kilroy]

Hi York Sud,

Have you received my follow up PM?

All the best,

Ian

[Kilroy]

Hi,
Just a last call for anyone else out there that might be interested in joining a small consortium getting S1 TI seat fabric remanufactured - and to show off the sample material that I have just received.

Rather than rewrite my email to everyone who has given me their email addresses, here is my email verbatim:

Hi All,

Thanks again for expressing an interest in joining a consortium to get some S1 TI seat fabric remade. I have now received the sample fabric back from the weavers (Humphries Weaving) and I think that it is absolutely superb. See photos attached.

Notwithstanding the colour, it is genuinely very difficult to distinguish it from the original, even close up. It even has the same feel and finish. Apparently the construction is slightly different (I really cannot tell by looking at it), but this should make it harder wearing – Humphries has “rub tested” the sample and quoting their report “Performed well up to 7000, breakdown at 10000”.

Samples from Humphries are only made in 3, set colours – hence the natural, white and black. Although Humphries offer a range of colours for a batch of fabric (also attached), it is quite limited. It also forces us all to order the same colour – and some of us may want to match the fabric to some existing trim.

I propose that we order it in white and then, either individually or as a consortium, get it professionally dyed (there are lots of companies that advertise this service, and will match a sample – see http://www.prestigedyers.co.uk/site/pag ... rview.html ). I have a good sample of the original, unfaded fabric colour (which is what I want) and I am happy to organise getting a quantity of the fabric dyed to this.

I am not interested in making anything out of this, as far as I am concerned it is just a way of making it cost effective to have the fabric made – but I do not want to end up out of pocket either.

As things stand, you are the only people who have been interested enough to give me your email addresses, so I am going to assume that between us we need to order enough fabric to cover the minimum order of 15m, at £48 per metre (£40 + VAT).

I need 5m myself, so that leaves another 10m that I am hoping you will cover between yourselves. Rather than set a minimum quantity at this stage, please can you each tell me how much you would like to order? If that still leaves us with a shortfall, we can then start negotiating.

For £48/m you are buying white fabric. If you would like the fabric to be dyed to the original grey/blue, then that will be at additional cost. All postage will be charged at cost. I will require a 50% deposit, payable prior to me placing the order.

Please let me know if you would like a piece of the sample fabric posting to you – I have a reasonable sized piece so this is not a problem.

Finally, I will update my post on the Forum – so hopefully some more Series 1 TI owners may come out of the woodwork once they see the actual sample. The price goes down to £42/m for over 30m…

Please get back to me as quickly as possible, as I am anxious to get this underway. 

Thanks again and very best wishes,

Ian

[Kilroy]

Better photo - showing old and new, and the original, unfaded colour on the old that I am having matched (for those who do not want white...)

All the best,

Ian

[Kilroy]

Hi,
I need to know how much fabric you want and to have received a 50% deposit (for anyone that I do not know) by Monday 5th November lunchtime if you want to get some fabric on order.

Thanks to everyone who has already committed - I will let you know as soon as I have a completion date.

All the best,

Ian